The present invention relates, in general, to electronics, and more particularly, to methods of forming semiconductor devices and structure.
In the past, the semiconductor industry utilized various methods and structures to build pulse width modulated (PWM) power supply controllers. However, it was often difficult to accurately test the accuracy of the control loop of the power supply controller. Typically, test probes were placed in contact with various points on the power controller semiconductor die and were used to inject signals and sample signals at different points on the semiconductor die. However, these probes had very large parasitic capacitance and inductance. When the power supply controller was tested, the parasitic capacitance and inductance resulted in large noise signals that made it difficult to accurately determine the value of the signals under test. In some cases, the circuit was operated at very low speed in order to reduce some of the noise. However, these lower speeds increased testing time thereby increasing the cost of the power supply controllers.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have a method of testing a power supply controller that accurately determines the value of the signals under test, that does not increase the test time, and that reduces the cost of the power supply controller.
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements in the figures are not necessarily to scale, and the same reference numbers in different figures denote the same elements. Additionally, descriptions and details of well-known steps and elements are omitted for simplicity of the description. As used herein current carrying electrode means an element of a device that carries current through the device such as a source or a drain of an MOS transistor or an emitter or a collector of a bipolar transistor, and a control electrode means an element of the device that controls current through the device such as a gate of an MOS transistor or a base of a bipolar transistor. Although the devices are explained herein as certain N-channel or P-Channel devices, a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that complementary devices are also possible in accordance with the present invention.